What do you mean by orthodox? I'm familiar with the oxidative style and there seems to be a modern style where the flavors are cleaner and more linear and seem like they'd be more approachable interpretations of Savagnin.

Keith, "orthodox" may not have been a good choice of word. You describe there very neatly what I mean.

And do you sacrifice vin jaune in the cooking? If so, that must be one expensive dish! I love vin jaune on its own, but pairing it with aged comte was one of the best food-wine pairing experiences I've ever had.

It is very expensive; our local supermarket does a "cheap" vin jaune (about €19), some of which goes into the dish, and then I open a Macle or Puffeney to go with it. You are absolutely right about Comté as a wonderful pairing; it might also go well with an "ordinary" Savagnin.

I think Bob nailed Savagnin with his description. Everything he described is why I adore Savagnin and why I know it faces a frostier reception from others. Oxidized, screaming/screeching acidity, tons of dry weight, yet I still find the whole experience ethereal.

Absolutely right. I'm sure I would have adored that Rolet, too. Give Bob some more exposure to Savagnin and I think he'll come round .

Well this is an exciting grape to cross off my list. I've encountered Xarel·lo many times as a component in cava blends, but I only cross it off my list once I've had a proper evaluation of the grape as (preferably) a monovarietal, varietally-labelled, or as predominant in a blend. A still Xarel·lo from Penedès allows me that opportunity. I have quite an affection of wines from the northwest of Spain, so it's nice to venture elsewhere with a whole bottle from the northeast. The 2008 Torelló Llopart Penedès Crisalys Xarel·lo smells rather distinctly of pencil lead, some flinty mineral, enjoyable distinct nose. The taste is tart and green, unripe pineapple, tangy kiwi, yet a rather fleshy body bordered by some rocky salty notes. I found it immediately likeable, but as my tongue and palate acclimate, the grip and pencil lead saltiness become irresistible, this is delicious and very gripping wine. Much lovelier as it opened, warmed, and as my palate acclimated, very interesting wine. Very good execution of this very interesting grape.

2004 Azienda Agricola Maculan Breganze DOC Torcolato85% Vespaiolo, with 10% Friulano and 5% Garganega. From 375 ml bottle. Honey/apricot/floral/botrytis nose. Slightly less viscous than a good Sauternes; well balanced, with good underlying acidity. Tastes of tangerines, bananas, honey, walnuts, baking spices, tangy herbs, and mint; some butterscotch and black pepper on the finish. Excellent. I thought that this was a lot better than the slightly disappointing 2005 Dindarello that I had a couple of years ago. $34.Interestingly, Torcolato is a legally defined style of wine from the Breganze DOC – not just a proprietary name, as I had previously though. Fausto Maculan was certainly responsible for reviving and popularizing this wine, which was popular back in the days of the Venetian Republic. At least 85% of the grapes for Torcolato must be from Vespaiolo, while the other 15% can be from other local non-aromatic varieties.

Here in South Dakota, gaining membership in the Wine Century Club is a challenge. Many consumers, retailers, and distributors think in terms of the familiar international grape varieties, and SD is one of the few states in which direct shipments from wineries are prohibited by law. If I look hard I can find Carmenere or Pinotage, Albarino or Torrontes. I had to special-order a Lemberger.

So to come up with a rarer grape for this thread, I have to think locally, not globally. It's said as a rule of thumb that grapes can't flourish further north than the 50th parallel. Sioux Falls is about at the 44th, and is slap in the middle of the North American continent, where frosts often happen in May or October, and in wintertime arctic systems extend south of the Canadian border to put the Dakotas and Minnesota in deep freeze. But a few adventurous vineyards have been experimenting since the 1990s with "cold hardy" grapes developed by departments of agriculture at area universities by crossing European wine vines with local plants from the family V. riparia, and are finding success.

Yesterday I drove 20 miles to the Wilde Prairie Winery in Brandon SD to taste two wines, made from the Frontenac (bred at U of Minnesota) and Valiant (from South Dakota State University) grapes. The major hurdle SD winemakers face is learning to tame the high acidity of these intrepid performers. Both wines, though red and fairly dry, had a mouth-watering, fruity-fresh sourness that I could imagine pairing with a wide range of dishes. The Frontenac was the more one-dimensional and aggressive on attack, the Valiant richer and rounder. Both had a flavor profile something like a Lemberger laced with Vinho Verde. (Sorry, when I taste wine I note fermented grapes; can't quite bring myself to rhapsodize about cherries, berries, licorice or leather.)

Wilde Prairie produces just over 500 cases / year, including, besides those I tried, wines made from rhubarb, strawberries, dandelions, and other local fruits. For more information about cold hardy grapes and their wines, see http://www.sdstate.edu/aes/viticulture/.

Paul Rainbow wrote:Here in South Dakota, gaining membership in the Wine Century Club is a challenge..

Great report, Paul! Frontenac and Valiant are great examples of varieties developed for harsh winters - I'm pretty sure there's a fair amount of them in MInnesota as well.

I couldn't resist chuckling at your quoted comment. Once when I was traveling in North Dakota, I dropped into a tiny beer depot in Bismarck, where much to my surprise I saw a stash of Duxoup Charbono. The moral of the story being, I guess, you just never know what's going to turn up.

Thanks for that post Paul. It's not so much the short growing season, but the average winter low temps that determine which varieties can survive. The newer hybrids developed at Cornell are usually cold-hardy to about -10 to -15 degF (-23 to -26 degC), whereas vineferas have trouble surviving anything much cold than -5 degF. Many of the newer cold-hardy varieties were developed by Elmer Swenson, and a few of those were released with U. of Minn. Some of these are able to survive -35 degF. While not extensively planted, many are gaining popularity in the Upper Midwest and Plains states. Here is a link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmer_Swenson. One winery here in Niagara County, NY, Leonard Oakes, is growing Frontenac, which we tasted at the 2009 NiagaraCOOL . To me, it seemed out of balance:

Next came the Frontenac. I was anxious to try this cold climate grape, which was developed in MN. Although they won a double gold for their 2007 at the Finger Lakes International Competition, I found the 2008 to be disappointment. It was thin and acidic and only seemed to hit one spot on my tongue. Even though the grape can ripen to high brix levels (24 +), it is cursed with both high pH and total acid levels, creating problems for wine makers.

Curiously, one U of Minnesota site (where Frontenac was first produced) declares concerning the neighboring state's Valiant grape: "It makes good quality juice and jelly, but is unsuitable for wine" (http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1103.html). I might be forgiven for supposing the greater difficulty seems to be presented by the Frontenac.

But really, I did enjoy both. I've only been tasting wines for about a year, so came to this experience without any expectation that either wine would taste like a Bordeaux or a Burgundy (which I like very much too). To me the acidity was appetizing.

2008 Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT (Italy, Sicily, Sicilia IGT)Bright, red fruited and refreshing on a summer day. This is certaily a red wine, but with its acid balance/brightness it functions more like a white wine. A little bit of a chill (a la Beaujolais) makes it even better with a summer salad. Wines like this could make the heat of a Sicilian summer almost bearable.

There behind the glass lies a real blade of grass. Be careful as you pass. Move along. Move along.

David M. Bueker wrote:Ok, finally had something that wasn't so commonplace:

2008 Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT (Italy, Sicily, Sicilia IGT)Bright, red fruited and refreshing on a summer day. This is certaily a red wine, but with its acid balance/brightness it functions more like a white wine. A little bit of a chill (a la Beaujolais) makes it even better with a summer salad. Wines like this could make the heat of a Sicilian summer almost bearable.

I like a lot the little Frappato which has come my way. Your TN captures it well. The Sicilians are not so dumb as some people think; the local grape varieties which they have selected over the centuries seem able to produce wines of an exceptional freshness for the prevailing conditions. Witness white Grillo, the Etna varieties white Caricante and red Nerello Mascalese , red Frappato and even Nero d'Avola, which makes powerful but by no means overwhelming wines in my experience. On the other hand I don't at all care for the CabSauv, Merlot and Chardonnay from Sicily, which tend to be far too heavy for me, and I guess that not many Sicilians drink them.

Keeping with the Sicily theme, I tasted a few very nice wines last night at the Tribeca Terroir in NYC. Probably our favorite was the '09 Graci Etna Rosso, which is 100% Nerello Mascalese, grown at highish altitudes on the north side of Mt. Etna. Lean, but with delightful fruit and zest, nicely aromatic, there was something very evocative of its volcanic soils. As was true of the '09 Tami Nero d'Avola, which had a more pruney aspect with some VA on the nose, but still elegant and ash-tinged. This is a sort of second wine from Arianna Ochipinti; there is also a Tami Frappato being made.

While I have had wines based upon Nerello Mascalese or Nero d'Avola in the past, I'm almost certain that I never had a wine made from Listan Noir. This is the sole grape present in the '09 Tajinaste Traditional from Tenerife. Has a mineral aspect that fits right in with the Mt. Etna wines, this one has some peppery blueberry fruit and the whole thing is very harmonious. There is a whiff of bubblegum on the nose which I often find in carbonic maceration wines; the bartender thinks it may see some CM, and the producer's website says that this has 20% barrel aged wine (not evident). Interesting pictures of how the old vine Listan Noir is grown ('braided cord': I hesitate to write trellised) at the website. They also make some whites from Listan Blanc.

Also has some '08 Tissot Trousseau Singulier: nervy, lightly herbal with some cranberry notes, a bit of poop on the nose. Closed up tight at first (from a fresh bottle), it opens a bit in the glass and gains a bit of length. Nice wine but not one that I will seek out. This is the same grape as the Portuguese Bastardo.

Joe Moryl wrote:While I have had wines based upon Nerello Mascalese or Nero d'Avola in the past, I'm almost certain that I never had a wine made from Listan Noir. This is the sole grape present in the '09 Tajinaste Traditional from Tenerife. Has a mineral aspect that fits right in with the Mt. Etna wines, this one has some peppery blueberry fruit and the whole thing is very harmonious. There is a whiff of bubblegum on the nose which I often find in carbonic maceration wines; the bartender thinks it may see some CM, and the producer's website says that this has 20% barrel aged wine (not evident). Interesting pictures of how the old vine Listan Noir is grown ('braided cord': I hesitate to write trellised) at the website. They also make some whites from Listan Blanc.

Just to be clear, the Listán Negro is from the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, not from Sicily. Should make for an interesting comparison with the Mt. Etna wines, though, as Tenerife has volcanic soils and the vineyards are 300-500 meters above sea level, though the volcano itself rises to 3700 meters, the highest point in Spain (if wikipedia is right!).

According to José Pastor, who imports the wines, Listán Negro is the same grape as the historic Mission grape planted back in the day in California.

I've had a wine from the Mataòssu grape before (from the same producer), but, alas never got a proper note, so it was very nice to revisit with 2009 Punta Crena Colline Savonesi Mataòssu* from Liguria, the curved coastline of the underbelly of northwestern Italy. Though Kermit Lynch may be more well-known for importing French wines from Beaujolais and the Rhone, I am wowed by the jewels they bring in from places completely unknown to me, like Liguria. The wine has a pleasant herbal and green aroma, distinct and structured, yet not hugely expressive. The first few sips in the mouth are challenging, a bit bracing with tightly bound greenness, the wine is tasty but not giving. Adding some additional variables makes things even more interesting. Never would have planned the pairing, but a friend just finished preparing his superb spicy Indian dal and it was a match made in heaven, the wine turns softer and more luxurious and the herbs of the wine meet the spices of the dish amazingly. This is a food wine among food wines. And, improper planning meant the bottle was left open counterside sans cork and a small amount left in the glass. And they were far more delicious the next day when revisited. Gripping and tart but somewhat salty, kind of like a great Vinho Verde with a whole lot more flesh and depth. This wine has personality. Lots more fun to drink than taste--and I love those experiences, keeps my forays into tasting-based evaluations properly humble.

And what can I tell you about the grape? Not much! No entry in in Oxford Companion to Wine, and the best internet source may be from the importer, which offered this little snippet:

The Ruffinos are proud to work almost exclusively with local varietals, but they don’t have much company. Mataòssu, which was once reigned supreme in this zone, was gradually ripped out because it has such a difficult vegetative balance; Cruvin gives such low yields that no one else will grow it. As a result, several of Punta Crena’s wines are one of a kind: the Mataòssu and Cruvin are entirely unique (two other producers make wines labeled Mataòssu, but in fact their vines are the related Lumassina), and the Barbarossa is the only one produced in Italy (a local grape of Emilia-Romagna has the same name but is unrelated).

Keith M wrote:Just to be clear, the Listán Negro is from the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, not from Sicily. Should make for an interesting comparison with the Mt. Etna wines, though, as Tenerife has volcanic soils and the vineyards are 300-500 meters above sea level, though the volcano itself rises to 3700 meters, the highest point in Spain (if wikipedia is right!).

According to José Pastor, who imports the wines, Listán Negro is the same grape as the historic Mission grape planted back in the day in California.

Hmm, I did note the wine was from Tenerife. And it was indeed interesting to taste next to the Etna wines.

Back when I first started to learn about wines, Mission was considered jug wine stuff when it came from CA. Wonder if there is still any being grown?

Joe Moryl wrote:Back when I first started to learn about wines, Mission was considered jug wine stuff when it came from CA. Wonder if there is still any being grown?

Paging TomHill . . .

The wikipedia article on Mission says there is less than 1000 acres still being grown, mostly in places like the Central Valley. It does have an interesting history. The article also mentions that the Listan grapes are related to Palomino - Listan Prieto and Palomino Negro are mentioned but not Listan Negro, which I assume is yet another name for the same thing.

Joe Moryl wrote:The article also mentions that the Listan grapes are related to Palomino - Listan Prieto and Palomino Negro are mentioned but not Listan Negro, which I assume is yet another name for the same thing.

Listán Blanco is the same grape as Palomino, I'm not sure of the familial relationship (if any) between Listán Blanco and Listán Negro.

Sauvignon Gris, aka Fie, and Sauvignonasse, aka Friulano and Sauvignon Vert, are relatively uncommon varietals that are sometimes confused. Cousino-Macul has a very nice Sauvignon Gris from Chile made from the same grape as Xavier Frissant's Fiet Gris "Roses du Clos" from Reuilly in the Loire. The Cousino-Macul is decidedly yellow with a surprisingly full mouth feel and a citrusy taste. The Frissant is pinkish and more minerally. Both are quite enjoyable, but you wouldn't guess it was the same grape. Much the same can be said in comparing Imperio De Sentidos's Sauvignonasse from Mendozo with just about any Friulano from Friuli in Italy; TOH! by di Lenoardo, for example. Again, the South American is notable for its full mouth feel and fresh citrusy taste; the Italian is thinner in the mouth, more subtle and minerally. All these wines are worth trying and can be found for less than $15.

I recently attended a tasting of Canary Islands wines imported by José Pastor which seem appropriate to include in this month's focus on unusual grapes. A whole slew of grapes here. Sure Malvasia is familiar, and Listán Blanco and Listán Negro may have familiar alternative names (Palomino and Mission, respectively). But Viajiego was completely new to me, as was Marmajuelo, and, honestly, how many Negramoll and Tintilla do I run into regularly? What is particularly fascinating, but unfortunately I can't speak specifically to, is the degree of variation among the islands themselves. The island of Lanzarote, furtherest east and subject to hot winds coming off the African plains while high altitude vineyards (sometimes 1000m or more) on Gran Canaria combats the heat. Prephylloxera vines that survived due to the louse not doing well on the sandy soils. The geographic isolation seems ideal for making wines that are distinct, the fact that I also found them delicious is a beautiful coincidence.

Starting off things right with a sparkling Malvasia (and this may have been my first such), the NV Los Bermejos Espumoso Brut Nature from the island of Lanzarote has a pure green nose. And tastes likewise, fantastic definition, green, crunchy, delicious. The definition here is notable, this is a stunning sparkling wine. The 2010 Los Bermejos Diego has a bright medicinal nose, tasting layered with good grip while still retaining some softness to the fruit. Bright pastry on the finish, a very complete package. Excellent. The 2010 Los Bermejos Malvasía Seco has a much flatter nose in comparison to the Diego, but tastes juicy, with a tang of acidity that reminded me (in a good way) the Juicy Fruit gum my mother would chew back in the day. While this one is pleasant, and seems to have more of a center than the Diego, I found less of interest that the incredible definition that the Diego had. Moving westward and away from Africa to arrive at the island of Tenerife for the 2009 Viña Zanata Listán Blanco which had a rather crazy gluelike nose, and tasted a little bizarre, like acorns. It actually felt a little anonymous on the palate until I encountered the light delicate but persistent finish. Still didn't wow me, more likable than loveable, but interesting nonetheless. But one of my favorites of the tasting (and winning many fans around the table) was the 2009 Viña Zanata Marmajuelo Blanco which had a slightly awkward nose but had a fantastic plushness combined with well-defined dryness. Crunchy, spicy, tons of content, yet I can see this wine having a broad appeal. Superb and interesting. Staying on the island of Tenerife, the 2010 Tajinaste Blanco Seco was another Listán Blanco, which hardly had any nose at all and tasted dominantly of playful summer melon, basic and pleasant. Again on Tenerife, the 2002 Monje Evento, also Listán Blanco, was much, much crazier, on the nose. Reminded me of a Vin Jaune or extended skin-contact oxidative white. Tastes pure at first, but that seems to be taken over by a more syrupy component. This one seemed to have everyone around the table puzzled. Obviously some age on there as well, but this was pretty unusual stuff. Almost felt like there were some carmelized or maderized elements.

And onto the reds, back to Lanzarote for a Listán Negro, the 2009 Los Bermejos Tinto Barrica had a really fantastic, vibrant nose, tasting juicy, and very, very, tangy. The tang on this one was certainly extreme. Another Listán Negro, the 2010 Tajinaste Tinto Tradicional had a killer nose: dark, awesome, layered, a nose that makes you stop and listen. The taste was much drier than the previous Listán Negro, but it still screamed juicy dark berry with lots of definition and very dry execution. Fantastic stuff. The next Listán Negro had 4 months in barrel, the 2009 Tajinaste Tinto 4 Meses en Barrica was much more reserved aromatically but still pleasant, and tasted more integrated, very interesting with superb focus. I think I probably preferred the 2010, but the 2009 Barrica might have an integration that has broader appeal. Incredible comparison, in any case. Onto Gran Canaria and La Palma for the 2009 Tendal Tinto Ecológico, a blend of Prieto and Castellana, where half undergoes carbonic maceration and the other half is rasied in tank. The nose is stinky and filthy and the wine itself is amazingly delicious--reserved flinty dark minerality, great presences, cab franc meets nebbiolo in a uranium mine. Incredible awesome stuff with flinty depth. The 2006 Tendal Barrica Tinto is a blend of Prieto and Negramoll and has a more peppery nose, soft and creamy, a bit odd, lots of debate going around the room regarding this wine as those with previous experience felt it was not showing what it typically does. Hard one for me to read. Staying on the main island, the 2009 Frontón de Oro Tinto Tradicional, a blend of Tintilla and Listán Negro, had a rubber-meets-the-road nose and seemed dark, very very roasted, almost burnt, and slightly reduced. More roasted flavor than any sort of fruit. The 2009 Frontón de Oro Malpais (a blend of Prieto, Tintilla, and Listán Negro) was stunning. Very floral nose, very reminiscent at the same time of a Twizzler. And that very-berry element came through in a very strong way throughout. Raspberry licorice delciousness. The 2009 Frontón de Oro Tintilla was a much more intellectual-oriented wine and I'd need more time and a bottle to evaluate it properly. But my brief foray with it suggested a dual mineral-herbal focus with dark savory fruit and a really nice integrated feel with lots of structure to appreciate. Interesting.

Back to the eastern side of the islands and higher altitude vineyards (1300m) on Tenerife for the 2010 Tierras de Aponte Tinto Joven, a blend of Vijariego Tinto and Ruby Cabernet, which had a pleasant wispy nose that reminded me of an herbal fruit roll-up, but seem much more basic in the mouth, just a basic there there. The 2010 Tierras de Aponte Tinto Vendemia Seleccionada (Vijariego Tinto), however, had a stink and a funk on the nose and screamed good structure, tannic obviousness, juicy plushness, quite a food wine here and a bit more challenging. Staying on Tenerife, the 2010 Monje Tinto Hollera Maceración Carbónica (Listán Negro) had an aggressive carbonicesque nose (perhaps, I'm not expert on identifying it, but it seemed similar to other carbonic maceration wines I've had in the past) and tasted light, juicy, and bubblegummy in a way that didn't particularly grab me. The 2008 Monje Tinto Tradicional (Listán Negro, Negramoll, Listán Blanco) had a nice nose of soil, but more meh berry-gum flavors. Palate fatigue might be setting in, but I'm kinda bored here. The 2000 Monje Autor (Listán Negro, Negramoll, Listán Blanco), however, woke me up a bit with wild smells that reminded me of traveling (now, isn't that useful), more purity in the juiciness element here, crunchy raspberries, very pleasing. Still on Tenerife, the 2006 Buten Crater (blend of Negramoll and Listán Negro) is dark, leathery, and intense. A bit too intense for my preferences and it kind of reminded me of a higher acid new world syrah, though there were some diverging opinions on this wine around the table. Still on Tenerife, the 2006 Tacande Tinto (a blend of Baboso, Tintilla, Vijariego, and Negramoll) which seemed much more barrel-oriented than the previous, though I'm not entirely certain about that. Dark, luscious candied cherries, too rich and thick for my preferences. Finally, something sweet to finish, the NV Los Bermejos Malvasía Dulce was really divine: rich and superb, yet easy driking, fantastic lightness, amazing. I want to evaluate a whole bottle, please!

Rose-tinged amber color. Botrytis nose. On the palate a sensation of very ripe peaches or nectarines and a suggestion of red cherries also. Not too unctuous or syrupy until the bottom of the bottle. (After the first evening I thought I might try pouring some over sliced nectarines the next night but forgot to experiment with it in this way.)

Thanks for all your notes on the Pastor Canary Island portfolio. I'll try to keep my eyes open for some of these. Coincidentally, I attended a tasting at Chambers last week featuring some of Pastor's other mainland Spanish producers: Mengoba (Bierzo), Pecina (Rioja), Guimaro (Ribera Sacra) and Luis Rodriguez (Riberio). I didn't take any notes, but it was fun to chat with the winemakers with my virtually non-existent Spanish and their somewhat better English. Perhaps the most exotic grapes (getting back to this thread) were the reds used by Rodriguez: Brancellao, Ferron and Caino Longo/Redondo. His '07 'A Torna Dos Passos' Esloma, made from extremely low yields of these grapes was a very impressive, albeit, expensive, wine.

For everyday drinking I picked up the Joven bottlings of Pecina and Guimaro (Mencia) - delightful wines. Oddly, none of the whites really grabbed me, although I am generally a fan of well made Godello. And the Rodriguez whites, made from Treixadura (appearing in Vinho Verde across the border as Trajadura) seemed stern and ungiving compared to the more floral style found in Portugal.

Bob Parsons Alberta. wrote:Joe, you mention Godello. I am not sure about this but does oak-aged do anything for this varietal?

So far, in my limited Godello experience I've liked the un oaked versions better than the few I've tried that have been in oak. But Dale Williams just posted a very positive TN on a Palacios Godello that sees oak, so maybe it can work.